Vania



C. AALBORG." CURRENT COLLECTING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED ocr. 21. 1915.

1,318,713. I I Patented 0ct.14,1919.

I 8 F/ .2. L111 (7 INVENTOR Chrisfian Aa/barq;

1 2 ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT orrion CHRISTIAN AALBORG, OF WILKINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WESTING- HOUSE ELECTRIC AND MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYL- VANIA.

CURRENT-COLLECTING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 14, 1919.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHRISTIAN AALBORG, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Wilkinsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Current-Collecting Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to current-collecting devices for dynamo-electric machines, and it has for its object to provide a device of the character designated that shall be particularly adapted for use in connection with dynamo-electric machines of small capacity.

In the construction of dynamo-electric machines for use as automobile ignition and lighting units, it is particularly desirable that all parts thereof shall be rugged and compact in form, it is also essential that all moving parts shall be inclosed in order to protect them from the action of dirt and moisture. Furthermore, the current-collecting devices, particularly, should be well insulated so that inexperienced operators will not damage the machine by coming into contact with live parts thereof.

According to the present invention, ll provide a current-collecting device having relatively few simple and compactly arranged parts and having its current collecting members entirely inclosed and well insulated. Furthermore, special provision has been made to prevent excessive heating at the points where the conducting members are in sliding engagement.

Tn the accompanying drawing, Flgure 1 1s a View, partially in section and partially in front elevation, of an automobile lighting, generator embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of one of the clu'rent-collecting devices shown in Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional View along the line'III-III of Fig. 2.

The dynamo-electric machine shown in Fig. 1 comprises a stationary frame 1 and a rotatable armature shaft 2 upon which is mounted a commutator cylinder 3, in accordance with the usual practice. The frame 1 carries aremovable end bracket 4: that comprises an annular flange 5 which incloses, and is concentric with, the commutator cylinder 3. The flange 5 is pro.- vided with openings 6 in which are mounted annular metallic supporting members 7. Current-collecting devices 8 severally comprise a cylindrical conducting shell 9 and an} insulating sleeve 10 pressed on the shell. lEach current-collecting device 8, as a whole, is mounted within the supporting member 7 and is secured in any desired position by means of a set screw 11 that projects through the member 7 and engages the sleeve 10. The shell 9 is preferably formed from a suitable blank of sheet brass or other similar material by means of a drawing punch and die and is provided, at its bottom, with an opening 12 having outwardly expanded walls 13. The outer portion of the shell 9 is provided with a rolled thread 1%, the purpose of which will be hereinafter described. A collector brush 15 is adapted to 'slide within the box formed by the walls 13 0f the opening 12, and that portion of the brush 15 which extends within the shell 9 is provided with a guide plate 16. The guide plate 16 is preferably formed from sheet brass and comprises an annular flange 17, the periphery of which is adapted to be in sliding engagement with the inner surface or" the shell 9. Other portions of the plate 16 are punched and bent outwardly to form fingers 18. The brush 15 is held between the fingers 18 by a rivet 19 and is further secured to the guide plate 16 by means of solder. The central portion of the pressure plate 16 is provided with an open ing 20 having converging walls 21.

A cap 22, formed of any suitable molded insulating material, is provided with an in her conducting bushing 23 having a rolled thread 24 similar to the thread 14 of the shell 9. A contact plate 25. having a centrally located opening 26 similar to the opening 21, is secured to the bushing 23. A flexible conductor or shunt 27 extends through the openings 21 and 26 of the plates 16 and 25, respectively, and is secured to the walls of the openings by soldering or in any other suitable manner. A coil spring 28 is dis posed intermediate the guide plate 16 and the contact plate 25 and yieldingly maintains the brush 15 in engagement with the commutator cylinder 3. The amount of pressure exerted by the brush is determined by the position of the cap 22 with respect to the conducting shell 9. An L-shaped conducting clip 29 is secured to the outside of the base of the conducting shell 9 of the left-hand current-collecting device 8 by solder or other suitable means and is 10- cated in a suitable slot 30 provided in the insulating sleeve 10. lhe shell 9 is thus connected to the flange 5 of the frame 1 through the member 7. Current may be conducted to or from the other collector brush 15 by means of an eyelet connector 31 and a conductor 32, as will be readily understood if the frame 1 is maintained at ground potential which is the usual practice in automobile ignition systems.

From the foregoing description, it is apparent that a current-collecting device constructed in accordance with my invention will possess particularly good current-carrying properties owing to the fact that a greater portion of the current will traverse the flexible conductor 27 instead of passing between the sliding contact surfaces of the brush and brush box and of the guide plate and inner surface of the shell, respectively. Furthermore, the pressure plate will serve as a guide for the brush and will limit such lateral movement as irregularities on the surface of the commutator cylinder may tend to produce. The pressure of the brush upon the commutator cylinder may readily be adjusted by turning the insulated c-ap without danger of short circuiting the brushes, while further regulation of the device, as a whole, may be obtained by reason of its adjustable support.

While I have shown my invention in a simple and preferred form and as applied to a particular type .of dynamo-electric machine, it is not so limited but is susceptible of various modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention: I

1. A current-collecting device comprising a shell having an aperture in the bottom thereof, a collector brush located in said shell and extending through said aperture, a plate secured to said brush and fitting closely within said shell, a cap of insulating material having an inner sleeve of conduct ing material carried by said shell, and a pressure-exerting member interposed between said plate and said inner sleeve, and means for adjusting the pressure exerted thereby. A v

2. A current-collecting device comprising a shell having an aperture in the bottom thereof, a collector brush located in said shell and extending through said aperture, a plate provided with extending fingers to embrace said brush and having a flange fitting closely within said shell, a cap of insulating material'having an inner sleeve of conducting material carried bysaid shell, and a pressure-exerting member interposed between said plate and said inner sleeve, and means for adjusting the pressure exerted thereby.

3. A current-collecting device comprising a shell having an aperture in the bottom thereof, a collector brush adapted to slide in said aperture, a pressure plate secured to said brush and in sliding engagement with the walls of said shell, a cap of insulating material having an inner sleeve of conducting material in threaded engagement with said shell, and a pressure-exerting member interposed between said pressure plate and said inner sleeve, the position of said cap determining the pressure exerted thereby.

4. A current-collecting device comprising a cylindrical shell having an aperture in the bottom thereof, a collector brush adapted to slide in said aperture, a pressure plate secured to said brush and having an annular flange in sliding engagement with the walls of said shell, a cap of insulating material having an inner sleeve of conducting material carried by said shell, a spiral spring interposed between said pressure plate and said inner sleeve and a flexible conductor connected between said inner sleeve and said plate and located within said spring, the

pressure exerted by said spring being adjusted by means of said inner sleeve.

5. A current-collecting device comprising a current-conducting shell having an aperture in the bottom thereof, a collector brush adapted to slide in said aperture, a pressure plate of conducting material secured to said brush and in slidlng engagement with the walls of said shell, a cap of insulating material having an inner sleeve of conducting material in threaded engagement with said shell, a flexible conductor secured to said plate and said sleeve, and a pressure-exerting member interposed between said pressure plate and said sleeve and surrounding said flexible conductor, the pressure exerted thereby being regulated by means of said cap.

6. In a dynamo-electric machine, the combination with a rotatable armature shaft carrying a commutator cylinder and an inclosing member concentric with said cylinder, of a current-collectlng device compr1sing a current-conduct1ng shell provlded with an insulating sleeve that is adjust-- ably supported by said inclosing member, the said shell being further provided with an aperture, a collector brush adapted to slide therein, a cap of insulating material having an inner sleeve of conducting material carried by said shell, and means inof conducting material en aging said eonducting shell and a flexib e conductor at tached to said brush and to said sleeve, said parts being-so arranged as to provide two 5 parallel current paths, one of said paths comprising said brush, said shell and said clip, and the other path comprising said subscribed my name this 23rd day of Oct. 1915.

CHRISTIAN AALBORG. 

